Emily: I Am Kam

A revelatory portrait of the trailblazing artist Emily Kam Kngwarray, from the Utopia community in the NT, whose work reshaped the international contemporary art world.

One of Australia’s most celebrated figures, Kngwarray is the highest-selling woman artist in national history. Known for her strength, wit and radiant presence, the Anmatyerr Elder found global fame in the late ’80s with large-scale paintings deeply rooted in her connection to Country, culture and community. With collectors including actor Steve Martin, her work fuelled worldwide interest in Indigenous Australian art. Director Danielle MacLean (We Are Still Here, SFF 2022) follows the preparations for the National Gallery of Australia’s major 2023 Kngwarray retrospective, while rare archival materials let the artist, who passed away in 1996, speak in her own words.